RetroSimba

In a microcosm of their dismal 1997 season, the Cardinals used a record number of pinch-hitters in a game and none produced a hit.

On Sept. 25, 1997, the Cardinals tied a National League record with nine pinch-hitters in a game against the Reds at St. Louis.

Six of the St. Louis pinch-hitters made outs, two delivered sacrifices and one was hit by a pitch.

The Reds won, 4-3, in 14 innings. One of their pinch-hitters, Lenny Harris, singled and scored the winning run.

It was that kind of season for the 1997 Cardinals, who finished 73-89 and whose pinch-hitters had more strikeouts (67) than hits (49).

Making moves

The Cardinals, aiming to snap a five-game losing streak, trailed the Reds, 3-2, when manager Tony La Russa used his first pinch-hitter, Willie McGee, in the seventh. With a runner on first and none out, McGee, batting for Mike Difelice, flied out.

La Russa sent two more pinch-hitters to bat in the seventh. Tom Lampkin, batting for David Bell, grounded into a force out. Scott Livingstone batted for pitcher Rigo Beltran and flied out.

The Cardinals’ fourth pinch-hitter, Ron Gant, batted for Luis Ordaz in the eighth and struck out.

Rookie delivers

In the ninth, La Russa again used three pinch-hitters in an inning. This time, it produced a run.

With runners on first and third, one out, Lampkin was due to bat against left-hander Mike Remlinger. La Russa wanted a right-handed batter to face Remlinger in that situation. He sent Tom Pagnozzi to bat for Lampkin, a left-handed batter.

Reds manager Jack McKeon countered by replacing Remlinger with Stan Belinda, a right-hander.

Before Pagnozzi could see a pitch, La Russa removed him and put in John Mabry. A left-handed batter, Mabry hadn’t been in a game since breaking his jaw in mid-August.

Belinda drilled Mabry in the right knee with a pitch, loading the bases.

With pitcher Jose Bautista due to bat next, La Russa called on his seventh pinch-hitter of the game, Eli Marrero. A rookie, Marrero was making his first pinch-hit appearance in the big leagues.

Marrero drove a pitch from Belinda to the warning track in left, driving in the runner from third with the sacrifice fly and tying the score at 3-3.

Pitcher in a pinch

In the 11th, with two outs and none on, pitcher Lance Painter was scheduled to bat for the Cardinals. Painter had batted once in 1997 and struck out.

La Russa sent another pitcher, Todd Stottlemyre, to bat for Painter. It was the first and only pinch-hit appearance by Stottlemyre in a 14-year major-league career.

“My heart was racing,” Stottlemyre said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Stottlemyre, who hit .236 for the 1997 Cardinals, struck out.

Falling short

The Reds went ahead in the 14th. A single by Ed Taubensee against Mark Petkovsek scored Harris from second.

In the Cardinals’ half of the inning, McGee led off with a single against Gabe White. Batting for Petkovsek, the Cardinals’ ninth pinch-hitter, Jeff Berblinger, advanced McGee to second with a sacrifice bunt.

Marrero grounded out, with McGee holding second.

Down to the last out, Delino DeShields kept alive the Cardinals’ hopes with an infield single, moving McGee to third. DeShields, swiped second, giving the Cardinals two runners in scoring position.

The drama ended, though, when White struck out Royce Clayton. Boxscore

“We’ve been beaten too many times,” La Russa said. “Our confidence is not very good.”

Previously: Grant Dunlap: From Cardinals pinch-hitter to novelist